Respiratory Therapist at Swedish Medical Center Named Colorado’s “Practitioner of the Year”

Derrick Davis, a critical care respiratory therapist at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado was named “Practitioner of the Year” by The Colorado Society for Respiratory Care. The award was made in recognition of his outstanding contributions toward the advancement of respiratory care.

Todd M. McCarl RRT, director of Respiratory Therapy at Swedish Medical Center said, “This is a state-wide honor bestowed upon one practitioner each year. Derrick is an outstanding human being as well as a brilliant respiratory therapist. His contributions to this hospital and the entire profession of respiratory therapy are amazing. He has become a driving clinical force throughout the state.”

Davis currently serves as a critical care therapist in the CCU and the NICU, as the assistant education coordinator and as a clinical instructor with students from the local respiratory therapy programs. He developed ventilator management protocols used in the PICU that are being adopted by an international ventilator manufacturing company and he has been asked to present the protocols at a national conference for respiratory care.

In addition, Davis will be presenting Swedish Medical Center and Colorado in a medical knowledge competition at the national respiratory care conference this October. Davis’ professional achievements have publicly recognized at a time when he is also attending school to obtain an advanced degree in respiratory therapy.